Welcome

When I joined wikiHow on February 6, 2011 under the username Byankno1 after finding it over a "how-to" search on the now fully-defunct StumbleUpon toolbar, I didn't have very many aspirations for using the site. But once I got my hands wet in some wiki-editing and had knowledge of wiki context from Wikipedia, I became hooked. But upon encountering the extensive collection of articles here, I knew I had to stick around, as I had so much knowledge I could teach others to make this site accurate and readable.

First, I learned the wealth of wikiHow's database of categories. I tried many Community Dashboard tools, but when I expanded and split an article, I knew my end was nowhere to be seen. I made my first mistake, but learned quickly from previous wiki knowledge elsewhere. I asked several Admins and Staff for knowledge on fixing up mistakes I made, and I never looked back once!

• I'm now seen as one of wikiHow's wikiGnomes, flying under wikiHow's radar in our scripts, pages, and tools. I've used Double Redirects, Wanted Pages, Wanted Files, Wanted Templates, and Wanted Categories to the point that I like to clear out large backlogs.
  • I've also hawked over Uncategorized Templates and Unused Templates, but tend to seldomly find templates to adjust in either of those, since they also contain templates used only by Admins and those that should be taken care of a long time ago.
• I ensure that every wikiHow editor has access to the available template documentation outlining in easily identifiable locations, and when I came to and noticed other scripts' glaring issues with missing templates from those pages, I knew I had help out there to include most of them to ensure all know what presently works here!
• I collaborate in creating new articles. I'm good at using action verbs in our Steps formatting and have started 1,424 while writing about various topics that can change at a moment's notice.
• I've created substantial amounts of new UIBs, with several other people who have done the same and reused mine.
• I've created several Projects, from a screenshot editing project (created in 2013) to a UI-fixing project (created in 2022 and ongoing).
• I still use the Community Dashboard tools, but I can rarely be spotted because I wander around.
• I like to find and report (on wikiHow's forums) the front-end bugs. However, I try to find out the reason why and/or a workaround before reporting.

I passed the New Article Boost test on February 4, 2013, and enjoy it. I tend to demote the real "winners", but very few have been promoted by me, boosting over 9,571 articles, while using my rights to help move titles (as necessary) and help process requested topics to merging and tackling other large backlogs as necessary.

In 2024, I obtained access to Q&A Patrol. However, I got discouraged and asked to be removed from it. However, once the discouragement was alleviated by updates that accelerated the process and removed the "real jokey winners" through AI automation in February 2025, I regained the rights. I helped clear out most of the Q&A Patrol tool's queue, and I haven't looked back yet.

• If you feel you want to see just what I've done in the past, feel free to here, but please don't ask what my upcoming plans are, because I do things as the pieces fall into place.
• I promise to keep my edits quality-centered. If you see something that's awkward, please make sure that I know about it, because I might have mistakenly done something to cause it that I may not be aware of from my sometimes small screen in my hand with big fingers.
• I've reached over 100,000 edits here. I'm good with policies, so if you have questions, feel free to reach out because I'm also good with communicating back. What I don't know or have forgotten, I will ask. I have friends and those I can trust, and if I know my friends don't understand, I will ask until I find someone who can answer me with the knowledge to provide ample answers.
• If you have any other questions, please feel free to post on my Talk page or send me a private message using the web-based email form. Either way, I will reach out to answer your question to resolve the issue. However, while I am on my computer most of the day and some of the night, if I'm not on and replying within 2 hours, my talk page collects my messages and you'll be responded to as I awaken.

What I Do on wikiHow

I do quite a lot on wikiHow. Like I said before, I like to write new articles. However, I also have been organizing and reorganizing our UIB and templates - at least as of 2018. But it doesn't stop there, because in 2013 and 2015, I created several wikiHow projects including the Screenshot Uploading Project, Theme Park Creation Project, TV Game Show Fandom Project, and several others, all of which have since simmered and become retired projects I can't keep up with personal time taken up in other spots.

I joined a Team page for the Merge Team between those dates and continue to help out with this as necessary, though that's been pretty quiet since September 2024. But have started the UIB Maintenance Project, something I too have let go as time went by.

I continue to create UIBs as I see the need; however, I've been reorganizing our UIBs - especially in Category:User Person, where it's not just a few, but many exist.

I tend to help clear out backlogs. I use wikiHow maintenance categories and the tools on the Community Dashboard. These help me get to editing, and find spots that need to be fixed by trained people.

A Promise

• I promise to say that I'm not a robot or an automated chatbot/AI response! I'm Christopher, a friendly, reliable, fully-human person here to assist you. I usually respond quickly to messages as I receive notifications. However, if you don't hear back from me right away, don't hesitate to reach out again, and I'll get back to you ASAP.
• In my daily wikiHow routine, I switch between two devices – a PC and a mobile device. While I'm more active on my PC doing most wikiGnoming, I also check messages on my iPhone throughout the day.
  • However, please understand that there might be long periods during the day when I'm away due to offline responsibilities (such as caring for someone who had a stroke in 2020). Rest assured, I'll do my best to respond promptly whenever I'm available.
• You can call me Christopher, but feel free to use my shortened name or EpcotMagic if you prefer; I'm happy to respond to any of these names!

For New Editors

• Be ready to listen to directions. To obtain rights and to obtain page creation (except your own talk page), you must edit several individual pages in mainspace/articlespace. However, while the number may be a bit high, it's not staggeringly bad.
  • Our {{Newarticle}} template references using the tools from the Community Dashboard. However, if you know of at least 10 individual articles that need help, you can edit and use those. But, these must make the page better, and can't be vandalized for the sake of getting in an edit to increase your chances of returning the right.
• Talk your problems through, and ask for help. If you find a problem you encountered that can't be fixed, either place a message on that page's Discussion page, or come to those looking for someone to tutor like a NABer or Admin. (I'm an NABer, so I'd qualify.)
  • Of the policy pages, I'm trained in the Merge Policy, Title Policy and the Deletion Policy. However, there are a few other guidelines I've been trained in, though I've also seen new policy pages get created to keep up with tech through the years.
    • You shouldn't be too worried with knowing much of these details - only that they exist - unless you use our other tools to edit more commonly and find issues more often where you feel you can't help, yet realize others can, or later become able to write new articles here.
  • Even if you stump me in answering a question, I'll still try to find you an answer, or send other help to help you out. I'm good at keeping up, though my contacts have a better cycle than I, I do believe. If I do lose something in translation in the conversation or forget to message, please remind me, and I'll track down the missing response.

Barnstars Received

At 00:00, Aug 27, 2012

JaylaMarie said:

wikiHow Contributor with a Good Sense of Humor

EpcotMagic, I hereby award you with this Barnstar for your friendly personality and above-amazing edits. Keep up the great work!

Reply to JaylaMarie

At 00:00, Oct 20, 2012

Davecrosby said:

Dedicated wikiHow Contributor

Christopher, I'm awarding you this Barnstar for your selfless dedication to wikiHow. You seem to test our tools to near destruction. 😊 I always take pleasure in reading your bug reports that have revealed yet another hidden quirk. Keep it up! Everything you do in every area is very much appreciated!

Reply to Davecrosby

At 00:00, Aug 25, 2014

Batreeq said:

The Patroller's Barnstar

You're making wikiHow better every time you press that Patrol or Rollback button. Keep up the awesome work. :)

Reply to Batreeq

At 00:00, Feb 26, 2016

WikiHowUser20220204205835 said:

Template Upholder

Christopher, You are very helpful and willing to help all the time. Your patience and knowledge have helped make many improvements to wikiHow templates and articles alike. I hope you continue your efforts and make progress on and off-site.

Reply to WikiHowUser20220204205835

At 00:00, Dec 04, 2019

GODSNTDEAD said:

Kind wikiHow Contributor

Christopher, You are so kind, awesome, and generally a nice person, which is why I'm awarding you this Kindness Barnstar. You are always asking others how they're doing, what they're up to, and being very heartfelt and genuine when helping others. The small acts of kindness add up! Just someone like you asking me how I'm doing and acknowledging me can make me that much happier. You are one of the kindest, most respectful users I've seen on wikiHow and deserve 100% deserve this barnstar. I'm surprised others haven't beaten me to it!

Reply to GODSNTDEAD

At 21:48, Dec 11, 2021

Youngcat said:

The Veteran Barnstar

For contributing to wikiHow for over ten years, watching and nurturing the growth of our site and community.

Reply to Youngcat

At 05:54, Aug 28, 2022

Rupert said:

Template Upholder

Christopher, your consistent hard work and dedication to all things templates on wikiHow are truly inspiring. You've done so much work on making UIBs look nicer, started a new project, and helped out with templates in general at every turn!
Your constant dedication to this project is inspiring for new contributors like myself, and I look forward to working with you on more projects in the future:)

Rupert

Reply to Rupert

At 01:20, Nov 08, 2025

Penny said:

Dedicated wikiHow Contributor

Hello,

I just wanted to let you know how truly impressed I am by all you’ve accomplished on wikiHow. Your dedication and tireless hard work have made a remarkable difference in this community, uplifting everyone around you. The countless hours and effort you invest never go unnoticed—even if the recognition isn’t always immediate, I hope you feel proud of the positive impact you’ve made.

Your contributions across so many areas are genuinely inspiring, and even your user page motivates me to do my best and help wherever I can. While we might not know each other personally, I wanted to be sure my appreciation for everything you do shines through. If I ever have questions in the future, you’ll definitely be the person I reach out to. Thank you for making wikiHow such a welcoming, helpful, and supportive place for all of us!

Reply to Penny

UIBs

My UIBs

This author is a New Article Booster. (verify) NFD This author is an NFD Guardian. (verify) Q&A This author is a Q&A Patroller. (verify) Q&A This author is a Q&A Editor. (verify) 9,571 This author boosted 9,571 articles. 🤔 This author answers wikiHow's Help Team questions. This author helps editors archive their Talk pages. This author asks you to leave talk page messages. → This author uses wikiHow's Mylinks sidebar. This author's edits are patrolled with RC Patrol. This author has received 8 Barnstar Awards. wH This author's content shows their multitalent. Long… This author gets long-winded on wikiHow. verb This author formats wikiHow articles with action verbs. wH This author loves wikiHow's collaboration. UIB This author creates UIBs. Ask me to design one for you! responsify This author mobile-responsifies wikiHow templates. UIBO This author contributes to the UIB Organization Project. Wanted Temp This author processes wikiHow's Wanted Templates. This author processes wikiHow's Double Redirects. This author automates repetitive tasks with AWB. QnA This author interacts with wikiHow's Q & As. 👪 This author's parents are on wikiHow, too. This author has unfulfilled article requests on wikiHow. wH This author changed their username 1 times. Meet This author went to 5 wH in-person & 3 virtual meetups. noWV This author opposes reusing Wikivisual's photos on UIBs. This author ensures only one UIB exists in User Misc. wH This author gets emailed Talk page messages. wH This author's favorite color is wikiHow-green. wH This author writes wikiHow namespace's documentation. MST This author processes wikiHow's Manage Suggested Topics. This author refuses munching on wikiHow's cookies. This author is a wikiHow Top Answerer. TextCat This author uses text-only category listings. This author tackles wikiGnome tasks. wH This author has a sockpuppet account at UIB.Doc. This author prefers Windows 10. This author prefers Microsoft Edge (Chromium). This author uses Microsoft Bing as their primary search engine. </> This author codes in HTML. 0Podc This author doesn't listen to podcasts. This author navigates with Google Maps. 👶 This author uses HTML's "baby" colors: blue & pink. $ This author uses CashApp's mobile apps. Kindle This author has cloud-stored Kindle books. This author uses their browser's Grammarly extension. This author uses a mousepad. This author uses CCleaner. This author likes HP. This author buys Intel computers. This author remembers dialup modem sounds. This author isn't a robot. No AI This author isn't an AI chatbot. This author uses ChatGPT. This author uses Microsoft's Copilot! GTrends This author sometimes uses Google Trends. AOL This author emails with AOL, too! This author uses Google Docs. This author uses Google Sheets. This author uses Google Gemini. Auth This author uses authenticator apps. ChatGPT This author uses ChatGPT's Canvas. Todo This author uses Todoist. r/ This author uses Reddit! This author's favorite color is blue! This author is right-handed. ♂ This author identifies as male. This author is a man. This author hand-prints their letters. Jul This author was born in July. This author has healthy family relationships. This author doesn't smoke. This author recycles their waste. 🗑️ This author picks convenience over reusability! °F This author measures temperature in ℉. This author's alarm clock can't wake them up. This author sets their own bedtime. 💤 This author is a late sleeper. 🛌 This author loves to sleep. This author wears footed blanket sleepers nightly. 💤 This author wants naptime kept past Kindergarten. This author goes barefoot often. This author wears sneakers. 1 This author is single. NoLove This author is not in love. This author is still confused: Why did the chicken cross the road? This author wants working witchcraft. This author wishes real money grows on trees. This author dreams of owning a Toyota someday. This author's favorite commercial airline is Delta. This author admires cradling babies. This author's favorite Disney Park is Epcot. This author travels Disney World's and Disneyland's monorails. DP This author has visited Disney's Parks 4 time(s). DP This author has visited 6 Disney Park(s). noDCP This author can't join Disney's College Program. MLB This author's favorite MLB team is the New York Yankees. TVGS This author grew up watching TV game shows. This author's favorite hotel brand is Holiday Inn. 🦼 This author returns unattended motorized carts. This author hangs Christmas lights inside their room. This author can only doggie paddle. M&Ms This author loves Peanut M&M's. Reeses This author can't decide on a Reese's product offering. This author's favorite PopTarts flavor is Frosted S'Mores. Snapple This author's favorite Snapple flavor is Zero Sugar Lemon Tea. This author's favorite spring water brand is Poland Spring. H2O This author drinks water before bedtime. H2O This author adds flavor enhancers to water jugs. This author wants to revive a pet. This author loves using staples. No DrPep This author believes Dr. Pepper tastes like unmedicated cough syrup. Work10+ This author worked a job for at least ten years. This author is unemployed! This author supports DC Statehood. DST AZ, HI This author hopes AZ & HI adopt Daylight Savings Time. Nick News This author remembers Nickelodeon's Nick News with Linda Ellerbee. Visual Learner This author spells hard words without a dictionary. Twin Sibs This author has Boy-Boy twin siblings. Tote This author uses plastic storage totes. NoRoller This author doesn't like roller coasters. NoMSim This author doesn't like motion simulators. This author has ear infections. This author has earwax buildup. This author outgrew their allergies. This author has asthma. 🃏 This author plays 500 Rummy. This author plays UNO. This author hasn't had their COVID-19 shot yet. COVID This author overcame COVID-19 2×. no🛺 This author never drove a golf cart. ⚾️ This author played Little League Baseball. This author loves Duct Tape. a lot This author differentiates between a lot and allot, but not alot. This author dislikes folding fitted bed sheets. This author calls their mom Mommy. This author eats fruit. This author gets restaurant & grocery deliveries. This author watches storms from their patio. This author uses electrical outlet plug protectors. This author was last picked in Phys Ed. This author sleeps on a double bed. 🎅 This author believes in Santa Claus. Ho, ho, ho. This author used a wooden card catalog. This author liked PBS Kids' Ghostwriter TV show. Perfect This author is a perfectionist, but still makes mistakes. 📏 This author tracks their height on a wall. This author lives in New York. This author suffers from trypanophobia. This author used a rotary phone. wcone This author likes wafflecones. This author remains tongue-tied. Y This author is a member of Generation Y. This author makes BLTs occasionally. This author prefers gel pens. 🌡 This author bears temperatures over 100°F (38°C)! ❄🌡 This author bears negative temperatures. 🚫 This author has no allergy bracelets. BB This author's favorite color is baby blue! BP This author's favorite color is baby pink! ❓ This author returns Why? with Why not? This author loves Algebra. This author is a Libertarian. This author wishes elementary schools allowed diapers. waterproof sheet This author uses waterproof sheets. town This author lives in a town. EggDrop This author competed in the school's Egg Drop. NoCC This author wasn't taught under Common Core. Screen This author wishes English classes taught screenwriting. Labs This author wrote final copy lab reports at school. Sequence This author completes/completed high school class sequences. Recess This author loves/loved Recess. ❄️👼 This author makes snow angels. 👨‍🦲 This author is bald. ⭐ This author visited Starlab. Pastel This author loves pastel colors. NA This author lives in North America. Ø This author uses slashed zeros (Ø). 1 This author writes serifed 1's. Velcro This author prefers Velcro to hook and loop closure. Q-tip This author prefers Q-tip to cotton swab. Ziploc This author prefers Ziploc to zippered plastic bags. 👛 This author has no loose coins. Multi family This author has multiple families both online and offline. 🖊 This author takes notes on Apple Notes. Skyblue This author's favorite color is skyblue! indent This author indents their text. ALB This author's home airport is at ALB. This author uses inhalers. 💊 This author swallows pills. NoSubs This author has no digital subscriptions. 🏥 This author visited the Emergency Room! Tubi This author watches movies with Tubi 🎄 This author loves Christmas. 🐰 This author loves Easter. O sib This author is another author's older sibling. This author uses Siri. Mon This author was born on Monday. This author's has visited Walt Disney World. This author has visited the Disneyland Resort. 🌐 This author lives in the Western Hemisphere. 🌐 This author lives in the Northern Hemisphere.